The aim of this report is to describe a health education intervention
involving volunteer infant feeding and care counselors being implemented
in Mchinji district, Malawi.
The intervention was established in January 2004 and involves 72 volunteer
infant feeding and care counselors, supervised by 24 government Health
Surveillance Assistants, covering 355 villages in Mchinji district. It aims
to change the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of women to promote
exclusive breastfeeding and other infant care practices. The main target
population are women of child bearing age who are visited at five key
points during pregnancy and after birth. Where possible, their partners
are also involved. The visits cover exclusive breastfeeding and other
important neonatal and infant care practices. Volunteers are provided with
an intervention manual and picture book. Resource inputs are low and
include training allowances and equipment for counselors and supervisors,
and a salary, equipment and materials for a coordinator.
It is hypothesized that the counselors will encourage informational and
attitudinal change to enhance motivation and risk reduction skills and selfefficacy
to promote exclusive breastfeeding and other infant care practices
and reduce infant mortality. The impact is being evaluated through a
cluster randomised controlled trial and results will be reported in 2012.